Exposition of Colossians, Sermons · Chapter 3 · Verse 24
VER. 24. Knowing that of the Lord ye ſhall receiue the reward of the inheritance: for ye ſerue the Lord Chriſt.
In this verſe the Apoſtle comes to ſtrengthen his exhortation touching the duetie of ſeruants before deliuered, and to preſſe ſeruants to the practiſe of it by force of argument, and to that purpoſe he heere vſeth an argument taken from the rich reward, as it were the wages and hire thereof, which is no leſſe then the inheritance of eternall life, which true beleuing ſeruants ſhall receiue at the hands of the Lord, as if he had ſaid, be encouraged yeeld obedience to your maſters, and to ſerue them in ſingleneſſe of heart, and whatſoeuer ye doe in their ſeruice, doe it heartilie for of the Lord yee ſhall receiue the reward of the inheritance, and this argument the Apoſtle doth further amplifie, firſt, by their owne certaine knowledge and aſſurance of it, that they ſhall receiue ſuch a reward, knowing (ſaith hee) that yee ſhall receiue it. And ſecondlie, by a reaſon why they are to looke for ſo great reward at the hands of God; becauſe that in ſeruing their maſters, they ſerue their Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, and hee takes their ſeruice as done to himſelfe, and therefore he (doubtleſſe) will paie them their reward, and giuegive them that reward that he hath promiſed to all his faithful ſeruants, and ſo wee ſee the generall things that are contained in this verſe.Interpretation.
(Knowing) that is, not by gueſſe or coniecture, but certainely, Knowing, you doing your dutie being aſſured of it, your knowledge being grounded on the promiſe of God, who is faithfull and iuſt to performe it (the reward of the inheritance) (that is) eternall life and ſaluation in Gods kindome of glory.
Now that is called both a reward and an inheritance.
Firſt, a reward, both by way of ſimilitude, becauſe it is giuen as wages is wont to be giuen to workemen, and labourers at the end of their labours, when their worke is finiſhed, then commonly they receiue their hire and wages; ſo when Gods children hauehave finiſhed their courſe, and paſſed thorow the labours and miſeries of this life, they receiue eternall life. Whence it is that the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Epiſt. 1.9. ſaith; They receiue the end of their faith, euen the ſaluation of their ſoules. And in this ſimilitude, and reſemblance is eternall life cald a reward, and alſo, becauſe beeing promiſed by God to his children, it is duely and iuſtly rendred to them vponupon his promiſe.
And ſecondly, eternall life is cald an inheritance, becauſe it belonges, and is, and ſhall bee giuen to Gods children euen to ſuch as are his adopted children in Chriſt, who hauing receiued the adoption of ſons, are the heires of God thorow Chriſt, as we hauehave it, Gal. 4.7. and as the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 8.17. Being children are alſo heires, euen the heires of God, and heires annexed with Chriſt, yea ioint heires with Chriſt the naturall Son of God, of whoſe body they are members, and ſo are heires of ſaluation, as it is Heb. 1.14. and life eternal is their proper inheritance, and therefore ſo called in this, and in many other places of Scripture, (For you ſerue the Lord Chriſt) that is, in ſeruing of your maſters, you ſerue not them alone, but in them the Lord Chriſt, your maſters ſtanding in his ſteede, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt taks your ſeruice as done to himſelf, thus then we are to conceiue the meaning of the Apoſtle in the words of this verſe, as if he had ſaid.
You Seruant doe as faithfull and hearty ſeruice to your Maſters, as you would doe to the Lord, certainly knowing and being aſſured of it, that you (doing your dutie) when you hauehave gone thorow the labours of this life, of the Lord yee ſhall receiue eternall life, and ſaluation in his kingdome of glory, as the promiſed reward due to all his faithfull ſeruants which is an inheritance that he will beſtow on you as on his adopted children in Chriſt, for in ſeruing of your maſters, you ſerue the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and hee takes your ſeruice as done to himſelfe.
Firſt, we are heere to marke, that the Apoſtle doth encourage ſeruants to be obedient to their maſters, and to ſerue them in ſingleneſſe of heart, doing eueryevery thing in the ſeruice of them, as to the Lord, by an argument from the rich reward of their ſeruice, that of the Lord they ſhall receiue no leſſe then the reward of eternall life.
Hence then we may conclude.
Doct. 1 That Seruants in doing ſeruice to their Maſters may hauehave an eie to the reward of eternall life;Seruants may hauehave an eie to the reward of eternall life in doing ſeruice to their maſters. the Apoſtle ſetting this place before them, as an encouragement, that they ſhall receiue the reward of eternall inheritance; they (doubtleſſe) may looke vp to it, and hauehave reſpect to it in doing good ſeruice to their maſters.
And this is grounded vponupon that generall, that in doing good duties, men of any calling or condition may lawfully hauehave reſpect to the recompence of eternall reward, as it is expreſſely ſaid that Moſes had, Heb. 11.26. And hence it is that eternall life is propoſed and ſet before vsus in the Scriptures, as a price, and as a garland, or crowne, 1 Cor. 9.24.25. And being ſo reſembled, men may hauehave an eye to it in the performance of good duties.
Yet ſo as they doe not good duties onelyonly, or principally in reſpect of that reward, we are chiefely to reſpect Gods glorie and the diſcharge of our dutie in doing of good duties, and then ſecondarily, we may minde and reſpect the recompence of eternall life.
And therefore thus may ſeruants doe, in doing ſeruice to their Maſters, in doing of it, they are principally to minde Gods glory, and the diſcharge of a good conſcience in doing their dutie, and yet therein alſo may they hauehave an eie to the promiſed reward of eternall life, and ſaluation. Ʋſe.
And this being ſo, ſeruants are (indeed) in doing ſeruice to their Maſters,Seruants are to hauehave an eie to the great reward of eternall life for their encouragement in doing ſeruice to their Maſters. to hauehave an eye to that great reward of eternall life, laid vp and prouided for all thoſe that keepe faith and a good conſcience in doing the duties that concerne them, they are to looke vp to that, and euer to fixe the eies of their mindes on it, and that (no doubt) will further and encourage them to doe true and faithfull ſeruice to their maſters; and whatſoeuer they doe in their ſeruice, to doe it hartily as to the Lord; ſeruants are oftentimes diſcouraged from doing ſuch ſeruice as is required at their hands, from the ſmallneſſe and ſlenderneſſe of their wages and reward: and though happily, they receiue aſmuch as was couenanted and agreed vponupon, betwixt them and their maſters, yet becauſe it is but little or they thinke it to little, therefore they take liberty to themſelues to neglect their dutie, and to doe but little, and ſticke not to ſay (as the common ſaying is) if you will mend my wages, I will mend my pace, or to ſay, what if the ſeruice I doe be not altogether ſuch as it ought to be, yet it is anſwerable to the wages I receiue, ſuch ſeruants as thus ſpeake, and doe, they ſhew plainely they looke onelyonly to the hand of man, and no higher, and in ſo doing they deale moſt fooliſhly; for they looking onelyonly to the reward they receiue from men, and doing ſeruice (as they thinke) anſwerable thereunto, what doe they but euen depriue themſelues of that rich reward, good and faithfull ſeruants, ſhall receiue at the hands of the Lord, in compariſon whereof, all that ſeruants doe, or can receiue from man, be it a thouſand pound a day, is not to bee eſteemed worth a ruſh, and therefore looke not thou to the ſlenderneſſe of the wages thou receiueſt of thy maſter, but let thine eie be euer on the greatneſſe of that reward that is yet behinde, no leſſe then a kingdome, Math. 25.34. and no leſſe then the riches of thy heauenly Maſter, verſe 21. A reward infinitely ſurpaſſing any ſeruice thou art able to performe and that (no douht) will make thee lay aſide all reaſonings of the fleſh, as that thy wages are but ſlender, or thy maſter is a man, either not deſeruing a good ſeruant, or without conſcience to reward him, and the like, and it will make thee true and faithfull in the ſeruice of thy maſter and to doe whatſoeuer thou doſt in his ſeruice heartily and cheerefully, becauſe thou lookeſt further then the hand of thy Maſter, and ſeeſt a rich and incomparable reward reſerued for thee in a better hand, euen in the hand of him who is able, and will alſo in his good time beſtow it on thee, euer looke thou vp to that rich reward that is laide vp in heauen for all good and faithfull ſeruants: and conſider thou that the Lord of his mercy will crowne thy poore ſeruice done to thy maſter with no leſſe then a kingdome, and with the ioies of his owne euerlaſting kingdome; and without queſtion, the conſideration of that, will cauſe thee to paſſe thorow all difficulties ſuggeſted by thine owne fleſh, and will encourage thee to ſerue thy maſter in ſingleneſſe of heart doing whatſoeuer thou doeſt in his ſeruice heartily and cheerefully.
In the next place wee are to marke the Apoſtles firſt amplification of his argument in the wordes of this verſe? (Knowing) Hee ſaith not barely, for of the Lord, he ſhall receiue the reward of the inheritance, but knowing it, you beleeuing ſeruants doing your dutie as you ought in your place and calling, being thereby aſſured of it, that of the Lord yee ſhall receiue the reward of the inheritance.
Hence we may raiſe this concluſion.
That doing of the duty that ought to be done in any Doct. 2 place or calling faithfully, and with good conſcience, it giues aſſurance to beleeuers that they ſhall be partakers of eternall life.Faithfull and conſcionable doing of duties that ought to bee done doth aſſure beleeuers of eternal life.
The Apoſtle here ſaith to beleeuing ſeruants, be obedient to your maſters, doe you your duty as you ought, certainely knowing that ſo doing, yee ſhall receiue the reward of the inheritance of the Lord.
Hereupon we may gather.
That by faithfull and conſcionable doing of that dutie that ought to be done in any particular place or calling, true beleeuers may certainly know, and be aſſured that of the Lord they ſhall receiue the reward of eternall life, and this doth the Apoſtle further ſhew in his own exāple moſt plainely, 2 Tim. 4. where he ſaith to Timothy verſ. 5. Do the worke of an Euangeliſt, make thy miniſtry fullie knowne, then hee addes verſ. 6. for I am now ready to bee offered, and the time of my departing is at hand; as if he had ſaid, doe thou Timothy that which becomes thee in thy place and calling, faithfully and with conſcience, for I hauehave ſo done in my place and calling; I hauehave finiſhed my courſe, I hauehave kept the faith, and done my duty faithfully and conſcionably, and ſtood againſt all oppoſition to the contrary, and now I am ready to be offered and to depart this life: and then marke what he is bold heereupon to inferre and to affirme, verſe 8. Henceforth (ſaith hee) is laid vp for me the crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous iudge ſhall giuegive me at that day, as if he had ſaid, I hauehave finiſhed my courſe and done my duty in my place and calling, and heereby I know, and am aſſured, that hence foorth is laide vp for mee a crowne of righteouſneſſe.
A plaine proofe of this.
Reaſon That by faithfull and conſcionable doing of the duty that ought to be done in any particular place and calling, true beleeuers may be aſſured that the reward of eternall life belongs vntounto them, and that they in time ſhall receiue it.
And the reaſon and ground of this is. Becauſe true beleeuers are not onelyonly aſſured by the infallible teſtimonie of the Spirit of God after an vnſpeakable manner bearing witneſſe with their ſpirits that they are the children of God, Rom. 8.16. and ſo as children, hauehave right to the eternall inheritance in heauen, but they are alſo aſſured of it by the fruits of the Spirit, 1. Iohn 3.14. Wee know we are tranſlated from death vntounto life, becauſe we louelove the brethren. LoueLove of the brethren, a fruit of the Spirit, giues aſſurance of tranſlation from death to life, that men are ſet out of the ſtate of nature which is deadly, and are now in the ſtate of grace.
Now louelove to our brethren ſhewes it ſelfe and is manifeſted in doing good to them, as in the generall calling, as we are Chriſtians ſo in our particular place and calling, in family, Church or Common-wealth, when wee in that particular place and calling, doe the beſt good wee can to our brethren, we manifeſt our true louelove to them, which is a fruit of the ſpirit; and therefore, heereupon it muſt needs follow that by faithfull and conſcionable doing of the dutie that concernes true beleeuers in their particular place and calling, by doing it in ſingleneſſe of heart, in obedience to the Commandement of God, with a ſincere reſpect to Gods glory, and the good of their brethren, they may come to certaine knowledge, and aſſurance, that of the Lord they ſhall receiue the reward of eternall life, Vſe. 1 and this being a cleare point.
Confutation of that Popiſh doctrine that men in this life can onelyonly hauehave a good hope and no certaine aſſurance of their ſaluation.Firſt, it meetes with that deſperate and diuelliſh doctrine of the Papiſts, who teach their followers euer to ſtand in doubt of their ſaluation, and tell them they can neuer come to anie certaine knowledge and aſſurance, but at the beſt, may onelie hauehave a good hope of it, whereas indeed a good and ſound hope ſuch as the Apoſtle ſpeakes of Rom. 5.5. that makes not aſhamed euer comes from faith, and faith is a certaine perſwaſion reſting on the free grace and promiſe of God, and ſo they confound themſelues in their owne ſpeech: but being preſſed with this and the like places (knowing that of the Lord ye ſhall receiue the reward of inheritance, and we know we are tranſlated from death vntounto life becauſe wee louelove the brethren.
What is their anſwere forſooth (knowing) heere and in ſuch like places ſay they ſignifies a knowledge by ſigne & by coniecture and not a certaine knowledge,A Popiſh cauill confuted. which is a meere ſhift, for the worde is the ſame with that 1. Iohn 5.20. Where Iohn ſaith, wee know that the ſonne of God is come. Now (I hope) they will not ſay that our knowledge of Chriſt his incarnation, and comming in the fleſh, is a knowledge by gueſſe and by coniecture, but a certaine knowledge, they will ſay they know and beleeue it certainelie. Now the originall word there, is the ſame with this heere, and therefore as well in this, as in that place, it ſignifies a certaine knowledge.
Oh but ſaith the Papiſt we cannot hauehave certaine knowledge that the reward of eternall life belongs to vsus by doing the good dueties the Lord requires of vsus becauſe wee may perhaps not hauehave done them ſo well as we ought, Object. we are fraile creatures and wee may hauehave failed in the manner of doing them, and therefore thereupon wee can hauehave no certaine knowledge.
Indeede if our knowledge and aſſurance of the reward of eternall life were built on the perfection of good duties done by vsus, Anſwer. we could neuer hauehave any certaine knowledge of it, but true beleeuers doing good duties in ſingleneſſe and ſincerity of heart, in obedience to the Commandement of God, therein ſeeking Gods glory, and the good of their brethren, are thereby aſſured that the promiſed reward belongs to them, their aſſurance not reſting on the dignity or perfection of their workes, but on Gods free and gracious promiſe, who hath freely promiſed in Chriſt to reward the poore endeauours, and ſeruice of his children, with the reward of eternall life; and therefore this ſtill remaines a truth, that true beleeuers by faithfull and conſcionable doing the duties that concerne them in their particular place and calling, may come to certaine knowledge, that the reward of eternall life belongs to them.
Vſe. 2 And let this be laid vp in the hearts of all true beleeuers as a ground of excellent comfort,A ground of comfort and encouragement to true beleeuers to doe good duties. its not a doctrine of preſumption as the Papiſts taxt it, but of great comfort and incouragement, euen to hearten vsus to the doing of eueryevery good duty, indeede if it were vncertaine, happily we might obtaine the crowne, and happily miſſe of it, we ſhould hauehave no heart to ſeeke after it; but now ſince it is ſo that wee beleeuing in Chriſt, and doing good duties faithfully, and with conſcience, may thereby come to a certaine knowledge, that we ſhall obtaine it: it is a notable comfort and encouragement to vsus, and let all ſeruants therefore (to them is the encouragement here particularly intended) let them (I ſay, and all others of what calling or condition ſoeuer they be, conſider how they wrong themſelues in the neglect or careleſſe doing of good duties that concerne them, they thereby depriue themſelues of ſweet comfort. Art thou a true beleeuer? and doſt thou perſwade thy ſelfe that thou doſt truly beleeue in Chriſt, doe then the duties that concerne thee in thy place and calling faithfully, and with a good conſcience, and thou ſhalt thereby make knowne vntounto thy ſelfe and others, that thy faith is no fancy, and ſeale vp to thy ſoule a ſweet comfort that the promiſed reward of eternall life belongs to thee, thou ſhalt not ſerue God in vaine, as the wicked thinke and ſpeake, Malac the 3. and 14. true beleeuers ſerue not the Lorde for naught, no, no, of the Lord they ſhall receiue a rich reward, as the wicked heaping ſinne vppon ſinne, treaſure vppe wrath vppon wrath, Romans the ſecond and the fifth, ſo true beleeuers dooing one good dutie after another, lay vppe treaſures for themſelues in Heauen, Matthew the ſixth and the twentieth, euen one degree of glorie vppon another: and therefore let vsus bee ſtirred vp with faithfulneſſe, and good conſcience, to doe the duties that concerne vsus in our particular places & callings as the Apoſtle exhorts,1. Cor. 15.58. bee abundant alwaies in doing holy and good duties, foraſmuch as wee know certainely that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord.
The next thing that comes to bee conſidered in this verſe is this, the Apoſtle calles eternall life the rewarde of inheritance, he ſaith, that true beleeuing ſeruants, ſhall of the Lorde, receiue the rewarde of the inheritance, and therein hee teacheth two thinges, I will ſpeake of them in order.
The firſt is this. Doct. 3
That howſoeuer true beleeuing ſeruants bee mens bond-men, yet are they the Lords free-men, and howſoeuer they doe ſeruice to men, yet they are notwithſtanding the children of God, and the Lord doth account them not as ſeruants, but as children,Though true beleeuing ſeruants be mens bond-men, yet they are the Lords free men, and the Lord accounts them as children. for inheritance (as we know) belongs, and is giuen to children, and not to ſeruants, & that this is a truth, beſides this text we hauehave euidence for it in many other places, 1. Cor. 7.22. the Apoſtle applying his ſpeech to the comfort of ſeruants and bond-men, tels them that though they continue ſeruants yet being in Chriſt, their caſe is good, for he that is called in the Lord, being a ſeruant, is the Lords free-man. 1. Cor. 12.13. the Apoſtle ſaith, by one Spirit all beleeuers are baptized into one bodie, they are mēbers of the ſame myſtical body of Chriſt, whether bond or free, & ſo the adopted ſons and daughters of God, the reaſon of this is plaine (namely) this.
True beleeuing ſeruants (as they are beleeuers) differ not from other beleeuers, but are all one with them in Chriſt, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Galathians the third and the twenty eight, there is neither bond nor free, but all are one in him, in him they are equall with others in reſpect of iuſtification in the ſight of God, in reſpect of adoption to bee the children of God, and in that reſpect their particular outward difference, as that they are ſeruants, is not regarded, as either any helpe or hinderance vntounto them, as they are beleeuers, as they are in Chriſt, they are Abrahams ſeede, and heires by promiſe, Galathians the third and the twenty nine, they are the children of God, and heires of all the bleſſings of God in this life, and in the life to come.
And therefore true beleeuing ſeruants (though they be ſeruants to men) yet for all that they are the children of God, and the Lord doth ſo eſteeme them, as his adopted ſonnes and daughters in Chriſt.
Let all true beleeuing ſeruants lay vppe this trueth in their hearts, Ʋſe. as a ground of ſweete comfort vntounto them, they may happily at ſometime through their owne weakeneſſe,Comfort for true beleeuing ſeruants againſt the conſideration of their hard and baſe condition. bee ſomewhat diſcouraged, and their minds may bee ſomething caſt downe in them, when they looke on their outwarde eſtate (and as fleſh and bloud eſteemes it) their harde condition in the world, as that they are not as manie others are, ſui iuris, they are not their owne men, but are in ſubiection vnderunder others, and at the becke, at the call and command of others, and their condition is ſeruile and baſe.
But what doeſt thou troubling and vexing thy ſelfe with the conſideration of thy meane condition amongſt men? art thou a true beleeuer? doeſt thou truelie beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt? then ſette thy thoughts on that honour thou art called vntounto, thou art then the adopted ſonne or daughter of God, fellowe heire with the ſonne of the Lorde, and king of heauen; and thou haſt right to all the comfortes, of his children in this life: and to his euerlaſting inheritance, in his kingdome of glorie. And though thou beeſt but a ſeruant to men, yet euen thy ſeruitude, is ſweetned vntounto thee, and thou art more then a ſeruant to the LORD: thou art his ſonne through Chriſt: and therefore thinke on it to thy comfort.
Indeede, if thou that art a ſeruant, bee not a true beleeuer, but as yet in thy naturall condition; thou art then in a miſerable ſeruitude: thou art then not onelyonly a ſeruant to man, but a ſeruant to ſinne, a ſlaue to the Diuell, and thy ſeruitude is accurſed to thee: and therefore haſten (as much as thou canſt) out of that fearefull ſeruitude, and neuer reſt, till thou bee ſure thou doeſt truely beleeue in Chriſt; and once truely beleeuing in him, it is not thy outward condition (bee it neuer ſoe baſe) that can hinder thee from beeing the ſonne of God. Thou art then his adopted childe, in, and through Chriſt: and then thou art within compaſſe, of his ſpeciall louelove and fauour, and haſt right to all the comfortes of his children, both in this life, and in the life to come.
Nowe, the ſeconde thinge the Apoſtle teacheth Doct. 4 vsus, in callinge eternall life, the reward of inheritance is this.
That eternall life, though it bee a reward, yet it is not a rewarde giuen of merite, but of merciemercy:Eternall life being a reward: is a reward, not of merite, but of merciemercy. it is a reward freely giuen, and not deſerued, being a matter of inheritance.
For wee knowe, an inheritance is freelie giuen by the father, to the childe, and not deſerued by any merite of welldoinge: it is giuen by the father to the childe, of the meere louelove of the father; and it may be it was prouided for him, beefore hee was borne, or beefore hee coulde doe any thinge for it: and ſoe our Sauiour ſpeakes playnelie of the heauenlie inheritance. Matthewe 25.34. In herite the kingdome prepared for you, from the foundations of the world. And eueryevery man that knowes any thinge, knowes thus much, that an earthly inheritance, amongſt men, is not giuen to the ſeruant, who (happilie) hath done ſomethinge, and helped his maſter, in gettinge, or keeping of it. But it is giuen to the childe, who (it may bee) is ſoe farre from doeing any thinge, to the purchaſinge of it, as that yet hee is an infant, and a ſuckling.
And ſoe eternall life beeing called, the rewarde of inheritance; wee are thereby giuen to vnderſtande, that it is giuen to GODS children, not on any deſart of theirs: but freely. Romans. 6.23. It is worth our markinge, that the Apoſtle hauinge ſaide, the wages of ſinne, is death. Hee goes not on (as the Rhemiſts themſelues on that place confeſſe) as the ſequell of the ſpeach required. Hee ſaith not on the contrarie, the wages or rewarde of holineſſe, is eternall life: but hee changeth his tearmes, and ſaith; but eternall life, is the gift of GOD. A plaine proofe, that eternall life, is not giuen on merite, or deſart: but freely of the free grace of GOD: it is the free gift of GOD.
And the reaſon of this, is not onelyonly want of proportion, Reaſon. beetweene that which wee doe, or can doe, and eternall life.
But, becauſe the LORD alone will hauehave all the glory, of the ſaluation of his choſen: hee will not hauehave man to hauehave any part of that glorie.
And therefore the Apoſtle ſaith: Epheſians. 2.9. By grace yee are ſaued through faith, not of workes, leaſt any man ſhould boaſt himſelfe, leaſt any ſhould glorie, that hee bringes any thing to the procurement, of his owne ſaluation. Wee ſee then the poynte is prooued.
That eternall life, though it bee a rewarde, yet it is not a rewarde, of merite, but of merciemercy: a rewarde freely giuen, not deſerued by any thing done by vsus.
Firſt, this ſerues to confute and ouerthrow the opinion Vſe. 1 of the Papiſts,Confutation of the opinion of the Papiſts touching the merit of workes. who teach that eternall life is properly the reward of good workes, and giuen to them that are firſt iuſtified by Chriſt not gratis and freely but as wages due to their good works, on their deſert, and for the merit of them, yea, that God hath ſet foorth heauen to ſale, for our workes, wee finde theſe very wordes in their writings yea, ſome of them write thus, that a ſupernaturall worke, proceeding from grace within it ſelfe, and of it owne nature hath a proportion, and condignitie with the reward, and ſufficient value to bee woorth the ſame, a doctrine moſt wicked, and full of derogation from Gods glory, and beſides the errour in the foundation of it, ſuppoſing a double iuſtification in the ſight of God, which they are neuer able to prooue by the worde of God, it cannot ſtand with the doctrine now deliuered, and prooued out of the worde of God, for if eternall life bee a reward freely giuen, then not on the deſert and dignitie, of any thing done by vsus, free gift and due deſerued debt cannot ſtand together.
Oh but ſaith the Papiſt, Object. the Apoſtles worde in this place is foreign a word that ſignifies retribution, a rendring one for another, and the Engliſh worde (rewarde) ſuppoſeth a former pleaſure, that is rewarded, otherwiſe it were to bee called a gift and not a rewarde, and the Greeke and Latine worde foreign and (mercyes) rather ſignifie a mans hyre and wages then a gift or a reward.
I anſwer them.
The originall word heere vſed, and the Latine and Anſw. 1 Engliſh word, doe indeed ſuppoſe ſomething done, and they hauehave relation to ſomthing done that is rewarded, but what then, doth that proue that the reward is giuen for the merit of the thing done? becauſe it is giuen in reſpect of ſomthing done, doth it therupon follow, that it is giuen for the worth and dignitie of it? nothing leſſe, they are neuer able thence to euince it, thar is but a looſe and diſioynted concluſion.
Anſw. 2 And againe, the Apoſtle heere not onelyonly vſeth the word foreign or (reward) but hee ioynes to it (of inheritance) thereby giuing vsus to vnderſtand that the retribution of heauenly inheritance, is not the rewarde merited, but the reward promiſed and freely giuen to Gods children.
Object. They further replie and ſay, the text is plaine Hebr. 6.10. that heauen is the reward merited by good workes, in ſo much as the authour of that Epiſtle ſaith, God ſhould bee vniuſt if hee rendered not heauen for the ſame, for God (ſaith hee) is not vnrighteous that hee ſhould forget your worke and labour of louelove, which ye ſhewed towards his name, in that yee hauehave miniſtred vntounto the Saints, and yet miniſter?
Anſw. Anſw: In that text there is no ſuch matter, that God ſhould bee vniuſt if hee rewarded not heauen for the merit of good workes, that can neuer bee thence concluded by anie good forme of reaſoning; Indeede God ſhould bee vniuſt if hee kept not his promiſe, which is to reward the good workes of true beleeuers, hee hauing freely promiſed in Chriſt to reward the workes of his children, hee hath bound himſelfe by his promiſe to reward them, and if hee ſhould forget ſo to doe (which is impoſſible) then hee ſhould bee vniuſt. And hence it is, that the authour of that Epiſtle ſaith, God is not vnrighteous, that hee ſhould forget your worke and labour of louelove &c. and ſo that place makes nothing for the opinion of the Papiſts, that eternall life is giuen as a rewarde for the meritte of good workes; but it ſtill remaines a trueth, that eternall life is the rewarde of merciemercy and not of merit.
And this being ſo, that eternal life is a reward of inheritance freely giuen to Gods children.
Wee muſt looke that wee make title to it, noe other Vſe. 1 way, but onelyonly as wee are GODS children: onelyonly as wee are the adopted ſonnes, and daughters of GOD in Chriſt.We muſt make title to life eternall, only as we are Gods adopted children in Chriſt. Say not thou (as commonly blinde, and ignorant people vſe to ſay) I knowe I muſt louelove GOD aboue all, and my neighbour as my ſelfe: and if I doe my good will, ſoe to doe; God will bee mercifull to mee, and I ſhall goe to heauen: that is to lay claime to heauen as a ſeruant, not as a ſonne: thou muſt ſay, when thou haſt done all thinges commaunded thee, thou art an vnprofitable ſeruant. Luke 17.10. Yea, ſaith the Papiſt, (heere he puts in his abſurd gloſſe) ſay ſoe for humillities ſake; though indeede wee are not vnprofitable: a poore ſhift and a ſottiſh.
Wee are taught to ſay for humillities ſake indeed,A popiſh cauill anſwered. that wee are vnprofitable ſeruantes, but not againſt the truth. Doth our Sauiour teach vsus to ſay, that which is not true, for humillities ſake? when hee bids vsus ſay, wee are vnprofitable ſeruantes. Noe, (without queſtion) hee doth not; wee are to ſay ſoe, and in ſoe ſaying, wee ſpeake the truth. Wee deſerue noe good thinge, by our beſt workes, at the handes of God: wee are euer to renounce all merrite of our owne workes, and to challenge, or lay claime to heauen, onelyonly, as we are children of God, adopted in Chriſt, by whoſe merite wee are juſtified; and by whoſe ſpirite we are ſanctified. And yet, we are not heervpon to caſt off all care, of doeing good workes: though wee are to diſclaime, all merite of good workes; yet wee are not to lay a ſide, the care of doeing of them. Noe, wee are to expreſſe our thankefullneſſe to God, for his merciemercy, by all holy obedience.
If wee are to bee thankefull to GOD, for euerie bitte of breade, wee put into our mouthes (as it is our dutie) becauſe it is the free gift of GOD: and the vſe and comforte we finde in it, comes from the bleſſing of God, then much more are wee to bee thankefull to GOD, for making vsus, that were by nature children of the Diuell, his owne children by adoption, yea ſonnes ane heires, euen ioynt heires with Chriſt his naturall ſonne, of that euerlaſting inheritance in his owne Kingdome of glorie.
And therefore thinke not that now, becauſe wee may not lay claime to life eternall, for the merit of our owne good workes, therefore wee may neglect them, no, no, if thou be a childe of God, the ſpirit of God will be powerfull in thee to another purpoſe, then the conſideration of thy title by grace to the inheritance in heauen, will make thee ſay as Dauid did, 2. Samuel the ſecond and the eighteeenth, Lord who am I that thou ſhouldeſt thinke of mee, and chooſe mee, and make mee thy childe by adoption, and giuegive mee title to thy heauenlie Kingdome, what ſhall I render vntounto thee for this thine vnſpeakeable merciemercy towardes mee, and thou wilt then ſtuddy to ſhew thy ſelfe thankefull to God for his merciemercy in all holie obedience in doing all good duties that concerne thee, and therefore deceiue not thy ſelfe, if thou feele not this working in thy ſelfe, thou haſt not the ſpirit of God, and if thou hauehave not his ſpirit thou art none of his and if thou bee not his childe, thou haſt noe right nor title to his heauenlie inheritance, for onelyonly as wee are ſonnes and daughters of God in Chriſt Ieſus, hauehave wee right to the rewarde of euerlaſting inheritance.
The ſecond amplification of the argument is in the laſt wordes (for yee ſerue the Lorde Chriſt) this is a reaſon why ſeruants are to looke for the reward of inheritance, becauſe that in ſeruing their Maſters, they doe ſerue the Lorde, yea, hee takes their ſeruice as done to himſelfe.
Heere is then comfort and aſſurance to all true beleeuing ſeruants dooing their duetie to their MaſtersComfort for true beleeuing ſeruants doing their duty to their maſters. that they ſhall receiue the rewarde of inheritance at the handes of the Lord for they ſerue him, and it is iuſt and equall, that hee to whom the ſeruice is performed, ſhould pay them their wages, and this the Lord will neuer deny, his word is paſt from him, his promiſe is out, and therefore doubt not of it, if thou beleeue in Chriſt, and doe thy dutie to thy Maſter, the Lord will certainly returne thy good ſeruice into thy boſome, with his bleſſing in this life, and will alſo giuegive thee the reward of eternall inheritance in the life to come, thinke on it to thy comfort.